KL Rahul with SA skipper Aiden Markram during toss (Source: AFP)
India under the captaincy of stand-in skipper KL Rahul, defeated South Africa by 17 runs in the first ODI of the three-match series. This win came as a sigh of relief for the Indian camp after their embarrassing defeat in the two-match Test series against the Proteas.
India’s win in Ranchi ODI included the batting masterclass of the batting masterclass of the batting stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Besides that, what played a crucial role in this victory was KL Rahul’s calm approach while leading the team and utilizing his bowlers while defending the target in Ranchi’s batting-friendly conditions in the second innings owing to the dew factor.
With that said, here’s an analysis of KL Rahul’s captaincy and the factors which advocate for giving him the full-time captaincy in the ODIs.
A matured leadership approach
The first and foremost factor that goes in favour of the argument that, ‘KL Rahul deserves full-time ODI captaincy’ is his matured approach while handing the side, including all the senior and young players. Besides that, he had also been in the core leadership group of the team as a vice-captain for the last couple of years under both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Getting groomed in the leadership under the captaincy of two stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma gives an edge to KL Rahul while comparing his role as captain with the other contenders like Shubman Gill.
Besides that, what makes KL Rahul a mature captain and a ‘man with the depth’ is his approach of involving the senior players like Rohit and Kohli in the decision making. The same was also visible in the first game against South Africa in Ranchi, when the former skipper and the senior most, Rohit Sharma was in constant talk with the bowlers when India were defending the target.
This mindset reflects the depth of a captain that he is not insecure of any senior player getting involved in the decision making process on the ground. Senior players in the leadership alongside the captain benefits the team in the crucial situations during big matches. Considering a broader picture, we can say that the same kind of approach will be very fruitful for the Indian team if KL Rahul becomes full-time ODI captain and leads the side in ODI World Cup 2027.
The same kind of approach has not been seen in the captaincy of young Shubman Gill, as he usually finds himself lost to the toughness of the pressure situations.
The ‘South Africa’ factor for ODI World Cup 2027
If India are going ahead in the direction of executing their preparations with the ODI World Cup 2027 as their primary focus, then it becomes quintessential to have a stable leadership, especially in the ODIs. Notably, the upcoming edition of the prestigious cricket quadrennial is going to be played in South Africa.
Speaking of the South African conditions from the perspective of KL Rahul’s captaincy, he has led the Indian side in 6 ODIs in South Africa, with two different results on two occasions. In January 2022, India lost the three-match ODI series by 0-3 against South Africa in Africa.
But KL Rahul learnt from his past errors and led the side to 2-1 win in the three-match ODI series against the Proteas in their backyard in December 2023. So, it can be said that KL has both kinds of experiences of captaincy in South Africa.
Furthermore, this fact also goes in his favour; his experience of leading the side in the South African conditions could be a big positive for the Men in Blue in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa.
KL Rahul as captain in ODIs
| Total Matches | Won | Lost | Tied |
| 13` | 9 | 4 | 0 |
KL Rahul as Captain in South Africa
| Total Matches | Won | Lost | Tied |
| 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Team-Wise Captaincy records
| Opponent | Total Matches | Won | Lost |
| South Africa | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 |
The above-mentioned stats seems to be enough for placing an argument in favour of ‘appointing KL Rahul as full-time ODI captain’, considering his experience and the time he has spent in the team’s core leadership group.
Besides that, KL Rahul's way of managing the players and utilizing them as his crucial assets during a tough time in a match are the factors that justify his position as leader in One-Day Internationals.
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